Safety switch to interrupt an electrical circuit in case of collision

ABSTRACT

Safety switch apparatus connected to motor vehicle ignition which is automatically disconnected by force of an impact resulting from a vehicle collision, the disconnection being effected by movement of a weight connected to one contact member. Mounts support two contact members and permit movements of the latter to and from each other. Reset apparatus restores contact of said two members by a simple movement.

[ Feb. 22, 1972 United States Patent Panettieri 200/61 51 X .....200/l53 LB [54] SAFETY SWITCH TO INTERRUPT AN 2913324" 9/1933 R AL U T I E F 2,243,566 5/1941 Kimball............

COLLISION [72] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Robert K. Schaefer Assistant Examiner-M. Ginsburg AttorneyHarold E. Cole Pietro Panettieri, 4 East Britannia Street, Taunton, Mass. 02780 May 14, 1970 [22] Filed: ABSTRACT Safety switch apparatus connected to motor vehicle ignition which is automatically disconnected by force of an impact resulting from a vehicle collision, the disconnection being effected by movement of a weight connected to one contact member. Mounts support two contact members and permit movements of the latter to and from each other. Reset apparatus restores contact of said two members by a simple movement.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,596,427 5/1952 Nordmark.........................

SAFETY SWITCH TO INTERRUPT AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT IN CASE OF COLLISION The principal object of my invention is to provide safety switch apparatus of improved construction, and that enables, by a simple movement, the automatic restoration of contact members connected to the ignition, after they have been separated due to a collision or other cause.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts as is disclosed by the drawing. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and therefore, I am not to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawing, nor to the particular parts described in the specification; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

ln the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my switch apparatus showing the switch contact members engaged, the dash lines showing a handle outside of the housing that is used in resetting the contact members to operative position.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the contact members separated caused, as from the impact of a collision, part of the reset apparatus being shown in resetting position by dash lines.

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuit of my apparatus.

As illustrated, my apparatus has a housing (partially shown) or supporting means having a base wall 12, and a sidewall 14 attached thereto extending angularly therefrom. Said base includes a supporting block 18 extending angularly therefrom parallel with side 14.

A bracket or mount 20 has an attaching member 22 fixed to said block 18 by a screw 24. A base member 26 extends angularly from attaching member 22, terminating in a supplementary mount 28 extending angularly from an extremity of said base member 26 and parallel with said member 22. A first contact means has a resilient contact carrying member 30 fixed to said base member 26 and extends parallel with said mount 28, and has an angular portion 32 and a contact member 34 extending angularly therefrom. A copper screw 36 extends through the latter and its head 40 serves as the actual contact point by means of a recess 40 formed therein, later referred to. A spacer 42 around said screw 36 bears on said contact holder 34, and next to it is a copper nut 44, and spaced from the latter is another copper nut 46. In said space an electric wire or other conductor 108 is held by said nuts 44 and 46 which screw threadedly connect with said screw 36.

Second contact means has another contact member 50 the end of which normally contacts with said cqntact member 34 by entering said recess 40' whereby an electrical circuit through the ignition switch of an automobile is normally established. Said other contact member 50 has an elongate member 51 that is supported by an angular metal bracket 52 screwed to a wooden extension 53 supported by said block 18. Said elongate member 51 has a ball-like, bearing member 54 that movably extends into a hole 55 in the upper leg of the member 52 where it bears against said angular bracket 52 and it receives a screw-threaded rod 56. A weight screw threadedly connects with said rod 56 and it receives an open eye 62 at one end that receives a coil spring 64. The latter connects with an adjusting thumbscrew 66 whereby the tension of said spring 64 may be controlled.

An angular bracket or second mount 68 is fixed by a screw 70 to said block 18 and said adjusting screw 66'connects and extends through said mount 68 to said spring 64. Thus an adjusting movement is made possible to change the tension of spring 64 whereby to help predetermine the shock force necessary to move said weight 60 to thereby break the contact of contact member 50 with said contact member 34.

72 that screw threadedly extends through said mounting member 28 and touches said contact carrying member 30. Thus said stop member while it limits the movement of said member 30 rearwardly; it also normally keeps the two contacts together, as later explained.

Reset apparatus has a rotatable shaft on which a collar 82 is fixed that receives a pusher member or screw 84 that normally is directly under said angular portion 32, leaving said contact member 50 unaffected when in normal position. Said reset shaft 80 has another collar 86 fixed thereon, later referred to, and this shaft extends through said side 14, and there is fixed thereto a manual reset handle 88 that is outside said housing 10. Said shaft 80 extends through a bearing 89 fixed to said side 14 and it rotatably moves with said handle.

When said contact member 50 is out of contact with said contact recessed portion 40 it normally overlaps the contact member 34 slightly. Rotation of said handle 88 and shaft 80 will move said collar 82 and pusher member 84 against said contact carrying member 30 thus forcing it rearwardly to permit said contact member 50 to drop into normal or closed position as shown in dashlines in said FIG. 2, thereby bringing said contact member 50 into engagement with recessed portion 40' of said contact member 34.

A coil spring 92 is attached to said angular mount 68 and extends to a screw 94 fixed in said reset shaft collar 86 thus keeping said shaft 80 in such position that said control screw 84 is normally away from said contact carrying member 30. Said spring 92 assures automatic return of said shaft 80 and screw 84 when said handle 88 is released after being actuated,

- since the actuating movement has put the spring under tenson.

A well-known switch 95 is attached to said housing side 14, being controlled by a switch button 98 outside of the latter.

Normally electrical current flows from a source of supply, not shown, through a conductor wire 102 held by a retainer 104 set in said side 14, which wire 102 also extends to one side of said switch 96. A return wire 108 held by a retainer 110 set in said side 14 extends to another side of said switch 96, the latter normally being in off position. Another wire 112 extends from said wire 102 to said contact member 34. Also a wire 114 extends from said wire 108 to a metal clip 116 attached to said angular bracket 52 to complete a circuit. In the event the contact between contact members 50 and 34 is broken, as in an automobile crash, current will not reach said wire 108 because the circuit is broken.

To restore the circuit the handle 88 is reset to bring the contact members 50 and 34 together, and my device is ready to function again.

In case of damage to my device that prevents automatically resetting it, the switch 96 will complete the usual circuit through the ignition by turning it to on" position, and my device remains disconnected.

What I claim is:

1. Safety switch apparatus for use on motor vehicles, comprising a housing, a first mount attached to said housing, first contact means having a portion movably extending from said first mount and having a first contact member capable of lateral movement with respect to said first mount, second contact means having another contact member normally contacting said first contact member and having a pivoting member supporting said other contact member, means supported by said housing and supporting said pivoting member for pivotal To .keep said contact carrying member 30 under sufiicient movement with respect to said housing, a weight connected to said pivoting member that is susceptible to predetermined shock and is adapted to react therefrom by actuating said pivoting member and said another contact member to carry the latter away from contact with said first contact member, and conducting means connected to said contact members to normally establish an electrical circuit through said contact members.

2. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 1, said extending portion is resilient and connected to said first contact member, and a second mount supported by said housing, said second contact means having resilient means connected to said second mount.

3. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 1, and switch means supported by said housing and connected to said conducting means and being normally in off position.

4. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 1, and reset apparatus operably connected to said housing comprising a reset shaft rotatably mounted on said housing, a pusher member fixed to said shaft and normally inoperative and being so positioned as to push against said first contact means when said shaft is rotated to reset position to thereby force said first contact member when said contactmembers are disengaged, away and spaced from said another contact member to permit the latter to move to position to thereby make contact with said first contact member, when the latter returns to normal position.

5. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 2, said first mount having means to adjustably hold said first extending portion in predetermined position.

6. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 2, said means for supporting said pivoting member has an angular support with a hole therethrough, said second contact means extending through said hole and being pivotally movable therein.

7. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 2 and a support block supported by said housing, said mounts being attached to said block and extending above it.

8. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 4, and a second mount supported by said housing, said second contact means connected to said second mount, and a resilient member connected to said shaft and to said second mount and being adapted to be put under tension, when said shaft is actuated from normal to reset position, 

1. Safety switch apparatus for use on motor vehicles, comprising a housing, a first mount attached to said housing, first contact means having a portion movably extending from said first mount and having a first contact member capable of lateral movement with respect to said first mount, second contact means having another contact member normally contacting said first contact member and having a pivoting member supporting said other contact member, means supported by said housing and supporting said pivoting member for pivotal movement with respect to said housing, a weight connected to said pivoting member that is susceptible to predetermined shock and is adapted to react therefrom by actuating said pivoting member and said another contact member to carry the latter away from contact with said first contact member, and conducting means connected to said contact members to normally establish an electrical circuit through said contact members.
 2. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 1, said extending portion is resilient and connected to said first contact member, and a second mount supported by said housing, said second contact means having resilient means connected to said second mount.
 3. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 1, and switch means supported by said housing and connected to said conducting means and being normally in off position.
 4. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 1, and reset apparatus operably connected to said housing comprising a reset shaft rotatably mounted on said housing, a pusher member fixed to said shaft and normally inoperative and being so positioned as to push against said first contact means when said shaft is rotated to reset position to thereby force said first contact member when said contact members are disengaged, away and spaced from said another contact member to permit the latter to move to position to thereby make contact with said first contact member, when the latter returns to normal position.
 5. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 2, said first mount having means to adjustably hold said first extending portion in predetermined position.
 6. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 2, said means for supporting said pivoting member has an angular support with a hole therethrough, said second contact means extending through said hole and being pivotally movable therein.
 7. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 2 and a support block supported by said housing, said mounts being attached to said block and extending above it.
 8. Safety switch apparatus as of claim 4, and a second mount supported by said housing, said second contact means connected to said second mount, and a resilient member connected to said shaft and to said second mount and being adapted to be put under tension, when said shaft is actuated from normal to reset position. 